Cigarette-machine



(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. A. BONSAGK. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

No. 585,253. Patented June 29,1897.

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J. A. BONSAOK. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

Patented June 29,1897.

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7 Sheets-Shet 3.

J. A. BONSAGK. CIGARETTE MAGHINE.

(No Model.)

No. 585,253. Patented June 29,1897.

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J. A. BONSAGK.

CIGARETTE MACHINE.

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{No Model.) 7 sheetsr-sheet 5.

J.A.BONSAOK. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

No. 585,253. Pa bented June 29,1897.

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(No Model.)

J. A. BUN SACK. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

Patent-ed Jg ne 29,1891

(No Model.) 5 '1 Sheets-Sheet 7. J. A. BONSACK.

CIGARETTE MACHINE.

Patented June 29,1897.

Inventor Witness e6 NORRIS PiYbRS cu PNOKLLH'MOw WASHNGTON, o r.

Tarts UNrrn FFIQEa JAMES A. BONSAOK, OF BONSAOKS, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TOTHE BONSACK MACHINE COMPANY, OF SALEM, VIRGINIA.

CIGARETTE-MACHINE.-

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 585,253, elated June 29,1897.

Application filed November 12, 1889. Serial No. 330,041. (lilo model.)

To all 1071,0177, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. BONSACK, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Bonsacks, Roanoke county,Virginia, have invented newand usefullmprovements in Cigarette-Machines,of wh ich the following isa full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cigarette machines by whichthe requisite quantity of tobacco is formed into a cigarettefiller whichis subjected to uniform pressure for a sufficient length of time whilebeing conveyed toward its wrapper mechanism to set it in substantiallyits shape and size in the finished cigarette for the purpose offacilitating the application of the wrappers and improving thequalityand appearance of the completed cigarette; and the invention consists inthe combination of various mechanical devices and parts, especiallythose for forming the tobacco into a continuous filler or rod and forsetting the formed filler before it is delivered to the wrappingmechanism, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In cigarette machines as hitherto con structed to apply individualwrappers to fillers the filler is shaped and its diameter largelydetermined by the wrapping device during the operation of wrapping, andthis necessitates the use of a Wrapping-belt long enough and ofsufficient movement to shape and size the filler before it applies theWrap per thereto. In such constructions the length of the wrapping-beltand its movement render the machine slow in operation, or if its speedis increased the wear of its parts is so increased that it is expensiveto keep in repair and adjustment. Another difficulty in such case isthat the wrapping-belt becomes soiled by contact with the tobacco whilecompressing the same into a filler of substantially the shape and sizedesired and when so soiled has a tendency to soil the wrapper of thefinished cigarette. It has also been found that when this compressing ofthe filler into the desired size and shape takes place in thewrapping-belt after a given quantity of tobacco to form a filler hasbeen separated from the mass the portions which form the ends of thefiller are freer to spread or elongate than the central portions, andbecause of this the ends of the filler do not contain the sameproportional quantity of tobacco as the central portions, and thereforethe filler is not of uniform density throughout its length. It has alsobeen found that in the operation of machines designed to form acontinuous cigarette-cylinder which is afterward cut or severed into thedesired lengths for individual cigarettes considerable difficulty hasbeen experienced from the choking of the partially formed and shapedfiller in its course through the device which applies the continuouswrapper to it which arises from the somewhat unequal size of thecontinuous filler, and therefore the un' equal friction of the same uponthe wrapping devices as the wrapper is being applied. This unequalfriction causes the filler to drag and slip in its passage through thewrapping device, and thus choke therein, which would not be the case ifthe filler was of substantially the desired size and had given to it asuffi-' cient amount of set, so as to be of substan tially a uniformsize throughout its length.

The principal objects of the present invention are to improve thesaidmachines in the respects above referred to, and thus largely remedy thedifficulties and defects pointed out and produce cigarettes of a moreuniform and pleasing appearance and at a less cost.

The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,(seven sheets.) forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1is a plan View of a cigarette-machine. Fig. 2 is a front side elevationof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a right-hand end elevation of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4is a cross-section on line 1 1 ofFigs. l and 2. Fig. 5 is a crosssection through the line as a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectionthrough line y y of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 7 is avertical view of thefillerconveying, filler-setting, and filler-delivering mechanisms.filler conveying, setting,and delivering mechanisms on the line 2 .e ofFig. 7. Fig. 9 is an end view of the filler-conveyin g andfiller-setting tube aud the belt or chain guide as seenfrom the right ofFig. 7 and Fig. 10 is a plan Fig. 8 is an end view of the View of asection of the conveyor belt or chain. Fig. 11 is a plan view of thecompressingwheels, lower or filler-conveying belt, and the doctors orscrapers. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the same devices or partswith the upper or compressing belt added, which parts are shown in otherfigures on an enlarged scale. Figs. 13, 14, and 15 are crosssect-ionalviews of the filler-deliverin g trough and wrapping-belt on a linealmost. over the right-hand edge of such belt, as seen in Fig. 1, thelast two figures being on a somewhat enlarged scale from that of thefirst one. Fig. 10 is an enlarged plan view of the lower orfiller-carrying belt and the upper or tobacco-compressin belt, the rollsor means for holding such belts in position, the compressin g-wheels,the doctors or scrapers, and means for holding the latter in place, theupper belt being broken away the better to show the rolls which hold itslower part against the compressing-wheels. Fig. 17 is a longitudinalsection on line 2 2 of Fig. 16, showing the manner of supportingbelt-rollers and doctors or scrapers as well as the position of comoffdevices, devices for delivering cut-off fillers to Wrapping mechanism,and filler-wrapping mechanism.

The present invention relates more particularly to the filler-forming,filler conveying and setting, and filler-delivering devices.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine; B, the main ordriving shaft, provided with driving-pulleys O.

A part of the tobacco-feeding devices (not fully shown in the drawings)may consist of any suitable mechanism by which fibrous tobacco can befed in regulated quantity to a hopper or receptacle D. The style andconstruction of such devices are immaterial, provided they operate todeliver the desired quantity of tobacco to the hopper at the propertimes and in the proper condition. Substantially the constructiondescribed and shown in Letters Patent No. 7,795, dated October 4, 1881,and issued to me, has been found to answer the requirements, andreference is here made to said patent for a fuller description of suchdevices.

After the tobacco has been delivered to the hopper D it is fed toforming-wheels E, arranged in pairs, preferably in two pairs, and thesewheels are caused to revolve at a uniform rate of speed, so as to passthe tobacco between their peripheries, which are grooved to compress thetobacco into cylindrical form. The tobacco as it falls into the hopper Dis received upon an endless belt F, which forms the bottom of the hopperand is caused to travel by passing over the wheels G G, which arerevolved by gearing connected to the main shaft B. This belt F passesdirectly under and in contact With the meeting peripheries of theforming-wheels and delivers the tobacco to the cylindrical opening between the first pair of wheels and supports the partially-formed fillerin its course between and through the second pair of wheels. H is asecond feeding-belt,passing over wheels I I, which are revolved bygearing connected to the shaft which drives one of the wheels G. Thisbelt is arranged to run above and in contact with the forming-wheels E,as the belt F runs below them, and operates to compress the tobacco andfeed it between the first pair of wheels E and to guide thepartiallyformed filler.

It will be observed that the shaft which carries the wheel G nearest thetobacco-feeding mechanism and over which the belt H runs is somedistance in front of the center of the first pair of forming orcompressing wheels E, and because of this the tobacco being carriedalong on the lower or filler-carrying belt F is first acted upon by thebelt 11 and compressed down to the thickness of the forming orcompressing wheels before it enters between them, and thus causes thetobacco so compressed to enter and be fed between such first pair ofwheels E. Each of the formingwvheels is preferably provided with adoctor or scraper J, attached to the frame or other rigid part of themachine and extending to and in contact with the periphery of its wheelin such manner as to remove any tobacco which would tend to stick orcling to the wheel and also to assist to guide the filler to the nextpair of wheels and to the setting-channel beyond the second pair ofwheels. This construction is shown in Figs. 11, 12, 16,17, and 18 of thedrawings; but the connection of the doctors or scrapers to the frame isonly shown for one pair, the other pair being attached in a similar way.

It is not intended to limit the construction of the machine to two pairsof forming-wheels E, as shown in the drawings, as one pair of suchwheels will compressthe tobacco into a partially-formed filler incondition to be re ceived in the setting-channel, hereinafter described.

After the filler has passed through the last pair of wheels E it isconveyed through a tubular channel K, in which it is set, so as toretain its form and size, and is delivered to the cutting-off mechanismat the end of this channel.

The description of the channel and the means employed for conveying thefiller through it are as follows: The tubularchannel K is located inline with the course of the filler and receives the filler as it is fedonward by the forming-wheels and belts. Its receiving end is preferablysomewhat enlarged, as seen in Fig. 9, to aid in the delivery of thefiller thereto, and its general diameter is substantially that requiredfor the finished filler. This tube or channel is provided with a narrowlongitudinal slot'for the reception and passage of pins L. The filler isconveyed through the channel K by means of the pins L, projecting froman endless traveling belt or chain M, which pins are carried into thechannel through its slot and are inserted into the filler, and as thepins are moved onward by the movement of the belt M they convey thefiller through the channel.

The construction and operation of the conveyer belt or chain M and itsprojecting pins L are somewhat peculiar and will now be described.

The conveyer belt or chain M is made up of a series of links orsections, each of which is provided with a double-pointed springactuatedpin L, means for connecting it to the adjoining link or section, andmeans for engaging with a suitably-constructed sprocketwheel N forgiving the belt or chain motion, and also means for use in connectionwith guides O and P for causing the spring-actuated pins to move in andout of the cigarettefiller as well as in a line parallel with thesetting-channel K. The conveyer belt or chain is mounted upon twodouble-rim med wheels, one being the sprocketwhcel N and the other thesupporting-wheel Q, which, in addition to supporting such belt or chainsupports the forward end of the guide 0. This guide is provided with anopening at its forward end of a size to fit over the central portion ofthe hub of the supporting-wheel Q, which is made in two parts, one rimon each part, so as to permit of its being taken apart for the insertionof its hub through the guide 0, the space between the two parts beingjust sufficient to permit the wheel to revolve freely within the hole ofthe guide and yet support the guide in the desired position.

The above construction is shown in crosssection in Fig. 6. Two of thesections or links of the belt M are shown in section in Fig. 7 andillustrate the construction of the pins L and their operation inconnection with the guide 0 for causing them to enter the filler andthen to permit them to be withdrawn therefrom by the action of theirsprings. The guide 0 is of such shape that it causes the pins L to enterthe filler against the force of their springs and then permits thesprings to exert their force to withdraw the pins when the squared endof the guide 0 near the center of the sprocket-wheel N is reached byeach pin as the chain or belt is moved around. These links or sectionsare connected together by means of links or pivoted bars in a wellknownmanner, so that they can readily pass .pers thereto.

around the sprocket-wheel N and supportingwheel Q. The supporting-wheelQ is located at a suitable distance from the wheel N, and.

its central portion revolves within and supports one end of the guide 0,as hereinbefore explained. The opposite end of the guide 0 isconveniently supported by brackets attached to each of its sides and tothe upper part of the belt-guide 'P, which in turn is conyenientlyattached to the channel K, as shown in Fig. 6.

The pivots which secure the links, or sections of the belt or chaintogether are made long enough to form bearings for engaging with thesprocket-wheel N and also to form projections or hearings on whichrollers R may be placed to work in connection with the guide P, as shownin- Fig. 8. The guide P and rollers serve to keep the chain or belt in aline parallel with the setting-channel K, irrespective of the guide 0,which only acts to operate the pins L.

If it is considered desirable, the delivery end of the channel K may beslightly enlarged from the point where the pins L are with drawn fromthe filler to relieve the friction upon the filler, so that it will movemore freely toward the cutting-blade.

The object of passing the partially-formed filler through thefiller-setting channel K is to compress and set the filler or to bringit into substantially the shape and size and set it in such shape andsize asit is to have in the finished cigarette, so as to render theapplication of the wrappers easier and give to the completed cigarette asmoother, more uniform, and tasteful appearance than would be the casewere the fillers shaped wholly or largely during the application of thewrap- This setting of the filler can be accomplished by other means thanthe special setting-channel K, through which the filler is continuouslypassing; but whatever means are employed for this purpose the ele mentof time is necessary--that is, the filler should be kept under pressurelong enough to deprive the tobacco of its power to return to its formercondition.

To effect the desired uniform compression and set of the filler by themeans shown in the drawings, the channel K may be made of any desiredlength to keep the filler under continuous and substantially uniformpressure long enough to set the tobacco, so that when the filler leavesthe channelits tendency to enlarge will be mostly taken away. lit isdesirable, inasmuch as the forming-wheels E wheels will facilitate theintroduction of the filler into the channel K.

It is here observed that the filler-setting channel K, with means forpositively conveying the filler through such channel, instead ofoperating in connection with the filler-forming and tobacco-feedingdevices herein described and shown, or either of them, may be employedto advantage when the filler is partially formed and delivered to suchchannel by any other mechanical means or even by hand.

As the continuous formed filler is delivered from the channel K it iscut intocigarette lengths, The cutting mechanism consists of thefollowing devices: In front of the delivery end of the channel K is ablade S, attached by arm T to shaft U and revolving with it and shearingjust past the end of channel K, which acts as a stationaryshearing-blade. At every revolution of the blade S the portion of thecontinuous formed filler projecting from channel K is severed, and byproperly timing the speed of the feeding devices, the filler-formingwheels, and the conveyor-belt relatively to each other and to therevolving blade S the portion of the filler projected beyond the end ofchannel K and severed by the blade at each revolution will be of thedesired length for a single cigarette.

It is here observed that a longitudinal m ovement on the shaft U may begiven to the arm T in a well-known manner at the instant thecutting-blade S operates to sever the filler, and this longitudinalmovement should be equal to the forward movement of the formed filler inorder to give a smooth out and prevent the end of the filler frombanking up against the cutting-blade, and in such case the cutting endof the channel should be slanted off or a forward movement given it in amanner also well known to correspond to the forward movement of thecutting-blade. If the latter construction is adopted, the cutting end ofthe channel should be separated from the main channel K.

Attached to the arm T is a plate V, having its plane at right angles tothe plane of the cutting-blade S and extending forward from this bladein line with the filler as it is advanced beyond the end of the tube orchannel K, as shown in Figs. 2 andG of the drawings. This plate operatesto carry or sweep the severed filler to the top or mouth of the troughW',which, as hereinafter described and shown in Figs. 6 and 8, islocated below. and at one side of the end of the tube K. The plate V ispreferably so arranged that when it passes over thetrough W its planewill coincide with a vertical plane passing through wrappers are placedin proper relation to be wrapped around the fillers. For this purposethe forward end of the trough W extends over the part of thewrapping-belt which receives the wrappers and is constructed with amovable bottom, as shown in Figs. 4, 13, 14-, and 15, in which thepivoted lever a carries the movable bottom I). A spring 0 serves toreturn and hold the movable bottom Z) to its normal or closed position.An arm (I, attached to the shaft U, is arranged to come in contact withthe upper end of the lever a and cause it to be moved sufliciently tomove the bottom I) from under the trough and allow the filler to dropupon or near to the wrapper placed upon the belt beneath it. The side 6of the trough prevents the filler from moving with the bottom I) whenthe latter is removed. The trough WV is open upon its upper part, whereit receives the filler, but from this point to its end this part may beopen or closed, as desired. The individual fillers are delivered uponthe movable bottom of the trough W by means of a plunger f, attached toa slide 9, working in suitable ways attached to the frame of themachine, as seen in Figs. 7 and 8, and this plunger is operated by apivoted lever h, connected at one end to the slide and having theopposite end provided witha roll working in cam t' on shaft U, as seenin Fig. 2. The construction and arrangement of this cam and itsconnection with the slide g are such that the'plunger f moves the fillerfrom where it is received in the trough W over and upon the movablebottom I) and is so timed as to properly perform this work.

After the individual fillers have been formed and delivered to thewrapping-beltj, as above described, they are wrapped with paper wrappersof suitable size for this purpose, one of whose edges is provided withpaste or other adhesive material, so that the overlapped edges are'securely united together.

Any of the well-known forms of wrappingbelts may be employed, as well asany suitable devices for cutting the paper wrappers from a continuousroll or strip of paper, gumming their edges and transferring them to theproper position upon the belt, and mechanism for operating the belt tocause the Wrappers to be properly wrapped around the fillers and to sealtheir overlapped edges together.

Instead of performing all of the abovenamed operations by mechanicaldevices they may be done wholly or partly by hand'-as, for instance, thewrappers may be cut to suitable sizes, gummed, and delivered to thewrapping-belt-and the belt may be operated either by hand or bydisconnected mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings the mechanism shown for gumming thewrappers, delivering them to the wrapping-belt, and operat- ICC ing thebelt is substantially that described and illustrated in Letters PatentNo. 242,605,

in the said patented construction is transferred to the main shaft andthe pivoted lever which carries the pasting-rolls is changed in shape,so as to work properly in connection with the cam in its transferredposition.

For a full and detailed description of the construction and operation ofthe mechanism above referred to reference is here made to thespecification and drawings of said Patent No. 242,605.

I am aware that cigarette-machines have been constructed in which awheel or an endless belt was used provided with pins which moveddiametrically therewith to withdraw loose tobacco from the receptacleand carry it into a device which forms the loose tobacco thus withdrawninto a partially-formed filler; but in none of these machines is thepartiallyformed filler positively conveyed through such filler'formingdevice at a given rate of speed irrespective of the varying quantitiesof tobacco forming the filler, as is the case in the setting device ofthe present invention. In fact, the partially-formed filler in themachines referred to is caused to pass through the greater portion ofthe compressing-chamber of the filler-forming devices by the pressure ofthe following particles of tobacco as they are carried into the openingof such device by the pins, and therefore the speed of the differentportions of the partially-formed filler in its passage through thefiller-forming device necessarily varies.

In all of the above-named machines the filler-forming device is taperingthroughout its length, and therefore the filler is not held under auniform and continuous pressure so as to give it the required set.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. In a cigarette-machine, the combinationsubstantially as set forth, of a filler-setting channel, an endlesstraveling chain or belt provided with spring-actuated pins adapted to beinserted into and withdrawn from the filler-setting channel andconstructed to be actuated in one direction by their springs, and aguide constructed to move the springactuated pins in the otherdirection, whereby the pins are caused to enter the filler and beWithdrawn therefrom at the proper time.

2. In a cigarette-machine, the combination substantially as set forth,of a filler-setting channel, a guide, as P, an endless traveling chainor belt provided with spring-actuated pins to engage with the filler andwith proj ections as R, and means for withdrawing the pins and operatingthe belt, whereby the belt is caused to move in the desired path oftravel relatively to the filler-setting channel by the engagement of itsprojections with the guide P, and to advance the filler through thechannell by the engagement of the pins therewit 1.

3. In a cigarette-machine, the combination substantially as set forth,of a filler-setting channel, spring-actuated pins adapted toengage withthe filler, means for advancing the pins through the setting-channel andwithdrawing them therefrom, a cutting-off device located beyond thesetting-channel for severing the continuous filler into individualfillers, a wrapping device located beyond the cutting-off device andmeans for delivering the individual fillers from the cutting-off deviceto the wrapping device.

4. In a cigarette-machine, the combination substantially as set forth,of a filler-forming device,a filler-settin g channel, means adapted toengage with and positively convey the tiller through thesetting-channel, a cutting-off device located beyond the forward end ofthe filler-setting channel, and a wrapping device located beyond thecutting-off device, where by tobacco is formed into a continuous fillerwhich is conveyed through the setting-chan nel to the cutting-off deviceand is set in its course thereto and is severed into cigarette lengthswhich are subsequently wrapped with wrappers.

5. In a cigarette-machine, the combination substantially as set forth,of a tobacco-feeding device, a filler-forming device, a fillersettingchannel, means adapted to engage with and positively convey the fillerthrough the setting-channel, a cutting-olf device located beyond theforward end of the fillersetting channel and a wrapping device locatedbeyond the cutting-off device, whereby tobacco is fed and-formed into acontinuous cigarette-filler which is conveyed to the cutting-off deviceand is set in its course thereto and is severed into cigarette lengthswhich are subsequently wrapped with wrappers.

6. In a cigarette-machine, the combination substantially as set forth,of a cutting-off device, a delivering device provided with a moving partarranged to move in the direction of the length of the cigarettefiller,and a wrapping device, whereby a continuous filler is severed int-0'cigarette lengths which are then delivered to a wrapping device to beWrapped.

7. In a cigarette-machine, the combination, substantially as set forth,of two grooved forming-surfaces arranged to travel in substantially thesame plane, means for moving such surfaces toward each other, and twoflat surfaces arranged on opposite sides of the grooved forming-surfacesand means for moving each of the flat surfaces toward and into closeproximity to both of the forming-surfaces, whereby tobacco is fedforward and compressed to form a cigarette-filler.

8. In a cigarettemachine, the combination, substantially as set forth,of shaping-wheels arranged to rotate in substantially the same plane andtoward each other, and two endless belts arranged upon opposite sides ofthe Wheels mounted to revolve between the said belts, whereby thetobacco is formed into a filler-rod, substantially as set forth.

c JAS. A. BONSAOK.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY F. NEWBURG, SAM. M HITCHCOCK.

